The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-09-28
PLOT TO BREAK JAIL.
THE CoNsPIRAToRSP LANTO MAKE
WAY WITH THE GUARDS.


a Bold and Cunningly Devised Scheme
to Escape Discovered Among the
Prisoners at the County Jail-The
Deputy Jailer Warned and the Plot
Fails of Execution The Force OF
Guards Increased.
A bold and shrewdly conceived plot to
break Jail was brought to light yesterday at
the county prison. 1t was discovered
through information given by one of the
prisoners supposed to be one of those re-
leased yesterday morning. The conspiracy
was cunningly organized and its plans were
fully arranged Had it not been for timely
warning and the immediate precautions
which were taken, it would probably have
resulted in general Jail delivery without
the aid of the courts.
There are seventy-one prisoners in the
Jail. Under the rules certain number are
allowed the freedom of the corridors each
day, except those charged with murder,
who are given the exclusive use of the cor
ridors on Fridays There is one Waterman
on duty inside of the Jail proper night and
day.
TO SEIZE THE GUARD.
The plan was for the prisoners in the cor
ridors TO seize the day Waterman, Tom
Flaherty, gag him and take away the keys
of the cells Deputy Jailer Kinchley
was then to be called, and told that
Faherty had fallen in fit. 1t was expected
that Mr.. Kinchley would come in, when
he would be knocked down and the keys
taken from him. With these the prisoners
were to escape from Jail by front or liking"
door. Another plan was to seize Flaherty
sI. i'm he nd txyitb Sytnh cfy
ments as were at hand, pry off
tine bars of one of the back win
dows, which are screened from the
street by high fence and escape that way.
The latter was thought TO be the best means
of escape as there was a chance that some
one besides Mr.. Kinchley would be in the
Jail Office and some of them would most
likely be shot.
CUNNING PLOT.
The plan was well conceived, and in the
present condition of the old Jail might have
been successfully carried into execution.
Since the discovery of the plot, which
was unknown to the prisoners up TO last
night, Mr.. Kinchley has been on his guard.
so that the plan for his seizure was out of the
question. The other plan, that of seizing
Waterman Flaherty and escaping through
the rear of the Jail, is still possible should
the Waterman be off guard at any moment.
Last year several prisoners broke out
through the rear window of the Mushroom
by gradually working out the bricks from
the side of the aperture.
The crowded condition of the Jail does not
permit OF prisoners being closely locked
up. Two and three are confined together in
some of the cells. But if they were confined
all the time, sickness would result. For this
reason they are allowed more freedom than
they otherwise would be.
EXTRA GUARDS ON DUTY.
The matter was brought to the attention
of the County Commissioners at a special
meeting yesterday afternoon, and the jailer
was directed to employ additional guards,
and to place one on the outside of the lookup.
Any attempt to break jail viii meet with
a warm reception and will be pretty sure to
relieve the courts of the trouble of trying
some of the prisoners. Sheriff Roman is
absent from the city, but will be back
to-day His deputy, Mr.. Kinchley, how
ever, is equal to any emergency, especially
such as jail outbreak. 1t is probable that
the precautions taken will effectually quiet
any conspiracy that may be on foot